18:19 thru 18:40 (Mar 27)

"Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover."

The irony is a little painful here. While handing Jesus over to the Romans, the Jews avoided ceremonial uncleanness so that they could still eat the Passover. Jesus, "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin (uncleanness) of the world!" (John 1:29). Jesus was the fulfillment of all of the symbolism of the Passover celebration. He was the freedom from slavery - not to Egypt, but to sin: "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36). The Lamb of God was with them, and they could not see it. They could focus on the ceremony of their religion, but not on the substance and meaning behind the ceremony. John's gospel has had a few things to say about this already. At Cana, Jesus took the water that the Jews used for ceremonial washing and turned it into wine. He made a new creation out of the old religion! In chapter 3, John the Baptist's disciples have an argument over ceremonial washing and John tells them that they cannot wash away their stains without Jesus: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36). This passage where the Jews cannot see the Lamb in their presence is a tragedy in the truest sense.

Final thought is borrowed from a devotion I attended at an old church: "They shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion." Barabbas was a murderer, a sinner, who did not deserve to go free. Yet he is freed by the sacrifice of Jesus. Freed by the blood of Jesus shed as a substitute for the punishment that he deserved. We all have a lot more in common with Barabbas than we might think!

Father God, thank you for providing Your Son, the Lamb, to take away my sins so that I do not have to suffer the punishment that I deserve. I can never truly appreciate the magnitude of this gift because I will not suffer the way that Jesus did on my behalf. Thank you, Lord, for your incomprehensible grace.